Celia T. Romm – författare

FAY SUDWEEKS AND CELIA ROMM At the tum of the twenty-fIrst century, global communication is changing the fabric of society at a rate never experienced before. The Internet, in particular, has redrawn the map of global economy. To be competitive in today''s marketplace, companies need to expand commercial activities beyond national borders. The global network of electronic infrastructure has played a signifIcant role in this expansion but the technology itself is not the factor driving the business revolution. The changes are driven by the interaction of information technology and customer demand. Customers are not only adapting to new technologies, they are demanding more and more global competition. Electronic commerce, therefore, is arguably the most important economic trend of our time. Its presence on the Internet, in particular, is becoming crucial to the effective functioning of organisations, especially in a world where companies need to deal with suppliers, customers, partners and their own units distributed across the world. A global business industry created by the Internet is no longer a projected vision of technocrats; it is a reality. The Internet is already playing a signifIcant role in determining corporate strategy and in creating values.

Electronic commerce is regarded as one of the most important commercial uses of information technology in recent times. As more and more companies adopt networking technology, ways of doing business are changing dramatically and electronic commerce is proving invaluable for dealing with suppliers, customers and partners distributed across the globe. This volume provides a collection of readings covering all the major areas of electronic commerce, including those related to the World Wide Web. It does not focus on technical issues, but instead examines the general, commercial, social and cultural aspects of using electronic commerce. It will be invaluable reading material for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students on courses in Electronic Commerce and Computer-Mediated Communication. It will also provide supplementary reading for courses in Business Information Technology, Information Systems, Organisational Change and Project Management.

The Internet is currently the fastest-growing and most widely-used technology for doing business electronically. Yet, despite its obvious advantages, it is clear that it is fraught with problems: customers are reluctant to use it for purchasing products; surfing is time-consuming and costly; and users are rapidly becoming disillusioned with its failure to fulfill early promises. In an invaluable follow-up to "Doing Business Electronically", Doing Business on the Internet provides a collection of readings which look objectively at what Internet commerce can offer both the consumer and the provider. Primarily of interest to researchers and students in areas such as electronic commerce, business strategy, management of information systems, project management and organisational change, it will also be of interest to corporate managers involved with developing their company's Internet-based strategies and to anyone interested in how to buy or sell on the Internet.